Through A Minefield Into Mauritania

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Driving through an active minefield is not something I’m looking forward to. I would go another way if I could, the problem is there simply is no other way to drive from Morocco/The Western Sahara into Mauritania.

About 20 miles before the border I fill the Jeep and auxiliary tank to the brim at the last Moroccan gas station, knowing gasoline is hard to come by in Mauritania. It’s already well over 110F when I arrive mid-morning at the border and the wind is howling relentlessly, kicking sand into faces and threatening to rip paperwork from clutching hands. I slowly drive along the shoulder of the crumbling road, making my way past a line of at least a hundred heavily loaded trucks waiting to leave. All are stacked impossibly high with everything imaginable, and I shudder to think how much each one weighs.
A uniformed officer waves me through a large gate, and another immediately throws up his arms and yells at me for going forward without his permission.
The border region is a large compound dotted with crumbling buildings enclosed by a huge fence, and a large gate at each end. Many uniformed officers sit around, none of them doing anything.

I park the Jeep behind a few other vehicles inside the compound and wait in line to get an exit stamp in my passport, before finding a random officer sitting in the shade who writes on the back of my temporary import permit and points across the road. In a building a man keeps one of the copies of my permit, scribbles on the back of my copy and says I can go.
I move the Jeep forward, and have all of my details entered into a huge paper ledger, before I’m free to drive through the second large gate and exit Morocco. This all takes less than half and hour and is straightforward.

The dunes are spectacular

The instant I drive through the gate into “No Man’s Land” the Jeep is surrounded by young men yelling and banging on the windows. Some of them grab the mirrors, door handles and bumpers and hold on as I continue to drive extremely slowly on the remnants of a rough, broken road. They all want to exchange money, sell me something, or guide me through to the Mauritanian border post.

I’m now in an area between the two countries that has no law, no roads to speak of, no signs and I must drive about 1.5 miles through an active minefield to reach the Mauritanian border post. In theory I just follow another vehicle or follow tire tracks to make sure I don’t hit a mine – after all if their tire didn’t set it off, mine won’t either. The problem with paying for a guide is they will say it’s $20, then “guide” you right into the middle of the mines. At that point they demand another $100, or leave you stranded in a very bad place. I’d rather trust my own instincts than deal with that.

In 2007 a French Overlander was tragically killed and another seriously injured after they strayed off course in their Land Rover Discovery and hit an anti tank mine.
The danger is real.

Burned out cars in the minefield

There are a few pickups and 18-wheelers making the crossing, so I do my best to ignore the extremely persistent guides and make my way across, trying my best to keep my tires on existing tracks. I pass dozens of burnt out car and truck skeletons, a clear sign this is no joke. I take the most direct route which is a crumbling rough road built by the Spanish decades ago, broken up by sections of deep sand where I use 4×4 to keep the Jeep moving.

This is not a place I want to linger.

I really hope my Jeep does not wind up like this G Wagen

Mauritanian customs in the distance – the goal!

Arriving at the Mauritania border more men want to guide me, all trying to snatch my passport and paperwork right out of my hands. They say the border will take many hours without their help, and I really need them. The military and police will obviously get a cut of any money I pay the guides, so they do nothing to stop the harassment. No matter how many times I say “No, Thanks”, each one comes back for more, tagging along every step of the way. I only speak to officers in uniform, and never hand my passport or documents to anyone that is demanding it. The process means bouncing around multiple unsigned buildings to find customs or immigration offers who are taking an afternoon nap or otherwise doing nothing. I first buy a one month visa, then get myself stamped into Mauritania.
While getting my passport stamped I’m standing right in front of a grumpy immigration officer when he says a car load of Senegalese must all pay to get a stamp – exactly how much is unclear. Each takes their turn handing over a wad of bills – sometimes the officer grunts and waves them away, where they gather more bills and try again. When the officer is satisfied he stuffs the bills into the top drawer of his battered desk – which is literally overflowing with cash.

It’s an eye opener to see such blatant corruption. I’ve been told time and time again Africa runs on bribes, and here it is directly in front of my face.

Across the road I track down an officer who writes up a temporary import permit for the Jeep, which costs ten Euro for ten days. When I return to the Jeep one of the “guides” is demanding I pay for parking, and he even has a receipt to give me. When I try to protest one of the military guys says I must pay, so I give a two Euro coin and move forward. I drive right up to a chain across the road, but quickly determine I’ve missed a step by the way the man there waves wildly and points at another building across the road. A quick visit there to have all my details entered into another giant hand-written ledger, and the guard at the chain smiles widely, then asks for Un petit Cadeau (A small gift), to which I play dumb.

At the Mauritania border, having just got through. An official yelled at me for taking this photo

Immediately in Mauritania I park and buy one week of insurance for 18 Euro and change a little money into the local currency – called the Mauritanian Ouguiya, or more commonly “Ogg”.
About four hours after arriving at the Moroccan border I’m finally ready to set off on on the highway South, into country number two.

Great report and pics. You had a good run through that border. Back in 2009 it took us 7 hours just to get through the Morocco side of the border. This was the worst crossing we did in West Africa, thought the next one into Senegal is quite lively!! Safe travelling.

Hi Dan, enjoying following your travels. I did a round the world for 4 years on a motorcycle leaving from Winnipeg. Are you travelling with a Carnet? I had to on my last adventure. I ask because my next adventure will be with a 4X4 and also to Africa so curious about the Carnet.

Hey Ryan,
That’s awesome! Did you keep a blog or post photos online anywhere? I’d love to check it out.
After lots of debate, and at the time it being impossible to get one, I have decided to go without a Carnet.
I’m aware of a guy infront of me who just went down the West Coast without one, so I know it can be done.
I’m posting info on every country as I pass through on WikiOverland – The Encyclopedia of Overland Travel

I will for sure be posting about how I go without a Carnet into every country.

Come to think of it, if you have details on some countries from your last trip it would be awesome if you could update WikiOverland with that info!

Hey Dan, my trip can be found at roameriding.blogspot.com As for the Carnet CAA no longer issue them in Canada but found a USA firm to take it over for all of North America. Due to the cost of them I will be following your border crossing. When I travelled a lot of the countries did not even know how to fill them out but still requested them none the less. I will also look into wiki overland…..safel travels

Yeah, The CAA in Canada left me stranded – they started my application then just said “too bad, go away”.. so then for about a year it was impossible to get one, and now there is a company in the US (Boomerang I think) that will issue a Carnet. Friends just got one so it does work.
So far so good without one, and I will be posting the details of every crossing here and on wikioverland.

We’re based in Abengourou, the team is there, I will return in early January! Looking at your route on your map – I wouldn’t advise anyone to use the coast road in Liberia, even on a motorbike – it’ll wreck your jeep even if you manage to finish it (which I doubt as it’s horrendous). Love your post on The Gambia yesterday! Stomach problems – I stick to charcoal tablets (comprimes du charbon) which work wonders & you can usually find them quite easily in W.Africa! Hope to see you in CI … found you on the HUBB!

CURRENT AFRICA EXPEDITION:CURRENTLY IN: The DRCAFRICA MILES DRIVEN: 17,778EXPEDITION DAYS: COUNTRIES VISITED: 16
The trip will take about two years, through about 30 countries, and cover approx. 80,000 miles.Read More: Africa Expedition Overview

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Dan is an outdoor adventure kind of guy who believes dreams are meant to be lived.
I've set out to drive my Jeep Wrangler 80,000 miles in a circumnavigation of the African continent, solo. Read the announcement
Here on The Road Chose Me you can read all about my ongoing adventure, see my photos and watch my videos.

You can also read back through my 40,000 mile, 22 month adventure in a Jeep Wrangler through 17 countries from Alaska to Argentina.